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I've applied for and received visitor extensions for 3 consecutive years without having to provide an air ticket. It's an online application so to be sure you could start it and proceed close to the end without finalizing it to see if there is a requirement for a ticket. They do ask for images of the most recent entry stamp in your passport and the passport bio-data page. They always give me an additional 90 days, very painless. 10 days before is perfect.

Hi El Jer, thanks a lot! That helps. First times doing procedures in a new country always bring up a lot of questions, but as we want to get things right, this expat community is really great in offering support! Have a great sunday and thanks again!

dont remember them asking for a return ticket.

Just passport stamp and bio page.

Go online and follow the steps, it stateds requirements.

Its quite easy

Do it no later than 2 weeks before your due date.

The only tricky part used to be paying the fee with a credit card.

The cc method didnt work and you had to go to their selected bank  with a QR code and pay.

Maybe they fixed this up now.  Worse comes to worse go to local migraciones office and pay and  get your extension certificate.

Thats what I did last time, but for a different reason. I could have easily paid at the bank and recieved my extension certificate online.

@El Jer

Applied as per your advise 10 days before - working days, that is. Now its already the 8th working day... or in other words, applied 14 days before, 9 days back (if we count the weekends), now in 5 days I would need to leave the country if I dont get a reply.  Any advice? Should I call or go to the office, or can I rely on getting the advice in time even though only few days are left?

@nico peligro

Applied as per your advise 10 days before - working days, that is. Now its already the 8th working day... or in other words, applied 14 days before, 9 days back (if we count the weekends), now in 5 days I would need to leave the country if I dont get a reply.  Any advice? Should I call or go to the office, or can I rely on getting the advice in time even though only few days are left?

My extension in Jan. this year was granted the day before my status expiry I think, this after I waited too long to apply. I suspect they (via the software of course) are aware of status expiry dates and they resolve applications beforehand as much as possible. It's also likely that a person, having submitted an application for an extension, has implied legal status until a decision is rendered on that application. You could research that perhaps, if confirmed you don't have to worry about leaving. Another point is that this can't be high season for visitor extensions so they are unlikely to be swamped. I tend to think you'll get it before status expiry but it's understandably nerve-wracking.

@El Jer

Thank you so much, yes, its nerve gittering. I also planned to travel inside Colombia to the pacific coast on Tuesday, have plane tickets - when I get the extension, would I get it via email or do I need to go somewhere to pick it up? I am originally from Spain, so I should not need to pay any fee... I am thinking about going tomorrow to the town office in Santa Marta, Migracion Colombia, and asking there.. or should I just wait it out? Do I need to leave the day before my stay ends, in the worst case, like on Sunday itself - last day of my allowed 90 days, or would I need to leave on Saturday, come worst? Tomorrow morning will also check if I do need to leave even if I dont get a reply, because its in works...

It's by e-mail with a .pdf attachment which you should print because they ask for it upon departure when you do finally leave.

I went to the office in SM a few times just to ask questions and I was helped. I think you have implied status - you aren't illegal until some point after a refused extension. If it's your first extension application, it's almost certain it will be granted. And if they give you the extension a day or 2 late, they will backdate the extension so it shows uninterrupted legal status. These points, unless things have changed drastically, can be confirmed if you go to the office. They keep the door locked but a guard monitors it and let's people in who have appointments. Make eye contact with him and eventually he'll talk to you and if you say you just have a couple of questions he'll hook you up with an officer and eventually let you in to talk to him.

Ask if you have implied status ie. are you considered to be legal retroactively if you receive an extension after the expiry of your visitor status.

Ask what your options are if you are denied the extension. The answer to this will be to leave obviously. But maybe you don't have to rush to leave by the expiry of your status. It's better if you do of course, but maybe you can stay 4 or 5 days beyond, get a salvo conducto to overcome the violation and facilitate departure, then come back after a few days out and get another 90 days or whatever you have left of your annual 180 days. This plan would reduce stress and I don't think they'll ban you for an overstay of just a few days, more likely you'll be allowed in again. Worth asking though.

Not an Imm. lawyer and nobody should listen to me but you could plan to stay where you are until you get the extension decision. If it's positive you're good. If negative then relax a bit, get the salvo, leave and hopefully come back.

@El Jer

Thank you so much for your support. Yes, I will go to the office today, and I also already checked flights. Sunday is my last allowed day (as of now) in the country, so depending on if I get my permit or not before that, I think the best plan is to leave on Saturday to Panama, closest I could find, and come back on Monday, so I dont have to throw away my tickets to the Pacific Coast. That trip I wont do alone, so its important that I can be back in time... I hope it wont be needed though to leave, but if I do, I do think two days will be enough, right?

@El Jer

Just FYI:

Si se acaban los 90 días de turismo con los que se entró a Colombia y la solicitud de extensión de permanencia temporal aún está en trámite, la persona queda automáticamente en permanencia irregular y puede ser sancionada por las autoridades.

El valor de la multa por permanecer en Colombia de manera irregular depende del tiempo que se exceda: 1–30 días: $1.820.000 COP, 31–60 días: $2.600.000 COP, 61–90 días: $3.900.000 COP, 91–120 días: $5.200.000 COP.

@El Jer

I went to the office. Seems it was a good thing, what happened was when I did the application online, their system is not working well so I tried a few times but it seemed as if it was not submitted. I tried a few times, two times went through. Time A was approved by them, yet the system sent me no notification of its submissal even. Time B the system sent a notification so I knew its in works. But from their side, they saw Time B and treated is as a duplicate, not working on it, because they had already approved the Time A application. Good that I went, I got it clarified and got it also as a stamp on my passport the old way, instead of as a separate paper. Thanks again! Just sharing from my side for the sake of other people who might have questions about it, now or later...

Oh right the multas aren't cheap are they, just 1 day is a bit of a hit. I think 2 days is enough to stay out, yes. Kind of good the expiry date is on a Sun. so you'll know by end of work day Friday whether you have to go.

@ccebhei

Go to Migraciones office immediately

Bring your credit card

I never had any problems when I did it but things may have changed.

Like I said, I never had an issue get approved  but I couldnt pay.online, but they gave you this opption to pay at one of tjose obscure banks ( banco agrícola  or simillar).

When I got to the nbank I.realized they used an old passport number.

Kinda freaked me out..so I went to the Migraciones office and psid, and the fellow explained that Migraciones  uses the original passport number you registered with them.

Anyway , worked OK..when I left the country..I dont think they even asked me for.the document..csnt remember.

Anyway..Migraciones in Manizales is laid back  ..low volume  friendly ,but formal, like the natives  attitude..havent yet been overwhelmed by thos psychotic obnoxious gringos and other foreigners like for example Medellin has been  in the last.10.yesrs